We Find What Is Lost: A Novel of the Terribly Acronymed Detective Club (Book 1)

Chapter Forty-Five: Rachel, Thursday

"Have you heard from Julia?" Lauren asked as they had lunch together. It was another day of work at Justiciar, for which she was grateful, as it was one of only two days this week she was working, the other at Joe's company tomorrow. She hoped she wouldn't be in the same room as he was, because all she would be able to see was that monster between his legs, and it would distract her from her duties. As it was, she was having a hard time not picturing Lauren without her clothes on.

"I haven't," she said, "and I'm starting to worry, because it's been over a week."

"Okay," Lauren said. "I think it's time I give her a call. Now that Sunny's officially commissioned the firm, I can be officially working on this, so it might be the right time to turn up the heat on her."

"Yes. I think Julia might have slipped back into the denial stage."

"So, I guess your theory didn't pan out."

"I guess not. Sometimes I just make shit up. I don't really know what she's thinking. I barely know her."

Lauren nodded and nibbled on her salad. She and Rachel locked eyes from time to time, and Rachel could tell Lauren was a little nervous, and she suspected why.

"I loved your show," she said.

Lauren sighed in relief. "Really?"

"Oh, yeah. Jesus, Lauren, you were so hot I rubbed off multiple times."

"Oh, thank God," Lauren said, and Rachel could see she'd been agonizing over this for some time. "When I didn't hear from you for almost a week, I thought you got all weirded out and couldn't face me anymore; I mean, how would you have known what I was planning when I asked you to download Skype?"

Rachel placed a hand on Lauren's, leaned in and said, "You were right, you know, last week. I was perving on you a little, and when Joe had his hands on you I was wishing those were my hands on you."

Lauren blushed. "Rachel," she cooed. "Shit, you're making me wet right now."

"Me too."

"So, did you see Joe's..."

"Yes, and I have no idea how you're able to contain that beast."

"Practice, believe me."

"Jesus, Lauren, if we don't stop we're going to get tossed out of here for indecency."

Lauren moaned in dismay. "Oh, what is wrong with us?"

Rachel shrugged. "I guess we just like each other. Why does it have to be more complicated than that?"

"But I've loved Joe all my life. I can't jeopardize that, or my kids."

"I'm not asking you to. Honestly, I think your little show was a happy solution for both of us; we can enjoy each other from afar. I'm really sorry I didn't get in touch with you after that. It wasn't because I was weirded out, just the opposite. It was just that events got in the way."

Lauren blinked in surprise. "What happened?"

"A lot. I need to catch you up. There was Mason's funeral..."

"Oh, yeah, right."

"And then the CEO filed a petition with the court to have me removed as executor."

Lauren gasped. "That fucker."

"Yeah. Don't worry, Sunny held him off for now."

"Thank God for that."

"Oh, yeah, and the mummified baby? Mrs. Anderson left me a letter explaining that it was hers. She got pregnant when she was really young, but the baby came too early and it was stillborn."